History's Eye

  As the use of the old naira notes is gradually returning in Awka, following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive to banks to issue and receive the old notes, long queues for withdrawal have persisted. The Supreme Court on March 3, ordered that the old N200, N500, N1,000 notes remain legal tender and would be in circulation till Dec. 31. A check at some banks at Zik’s Avenue, UNIZIK Junction, Regina and Aroma areas of Awka, on Friday, saw many people on queues waiting patiently to withdraw the new or old naira notes from their accounts. It was discovered that some of the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in major parts of Awka, were not dispensing naira notes while there were long queues at few ATMs dispensing. although many banks in Awka were paying customers between N3,000 and N5,000, over the counter, some complained about shortage of cash to pay. A bank official, who pleaded anonymity, said that there was scarcity of cash because of too many cash withdrawals and zer...

  The Anambra State Government says it detected more than 8,000 Tuberculosis (TB), cases against the targeted 13,000 cases in the state in 2022. Dr Afam Obidike, state's Commissioner for Health, gave the statistics at a news conference to mark 2023 World Tuberculosis Day, in Awka on Friday. World TB Day, is commemorated every March 24, to build public awareness that tuberculosis remains an epidemic in much of the world, causing the deaths of nearly one-and-a-half million people each year. Obidike said : According to the World Health Organisation, about half of all people with TB can be found in eight countries including Nigeria. This is not a good report, hence, we need to intensify efforts to reverse the trend. " This is why Gov. Chukwuma Soludo's administration has remained focus in making sure that TB programme is given all the necessary attention to end the scourge in our time. "For the past one year, the TB programme has detected more than 8,000 TB cases against...

The Anambra State Government said it rescued a 12-year-old girl alongside her two younger siblings from their father, Arinze Obiwenite, who alledgedly defiles her. Mrs Ify Obinabo, the state's Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, told newsmen on Saturday in Awka that the children were rescued on Monday, during a raid at Abacha town in Idemili North Local Government Area, following a tip off. Obinabo said she visited the Traditional Ruler of Abacha community, Igwe Nwabunwanne Odiegwu, to notify him of the raid before taking action. She said that during the visit, Igwe Odiegwu revealed that the accused, Obiwenite, presented himself as a Christian who helped people solved their spiritual problems without knowing that he had other motives. "The traditional ruler told us he knew about Obiwenite's alledged escapees when he accused some young boys in the community of raping his daughter. "He was summoned to the palace on several occasions to state his case, but f...

Some working mothers in Anambra have lamented the three months maternity leave policy of the state, saying they are caught between trying to achieve exclusive breastfeeding and maintaining their career. They expressed their displeasure in Awka to mark the ongoing World Breastfeeding Week. According to the nursing mothers, they go the extra mile to breastfeed exclusively because  their babies' delicate immune systems depend on breast milk nutrition for proper development. Mrs Irene Dike, a civil servant said that she took her mother and five-month old baby to work everyday to achieve exclusive breastfeeding. "I was determined to defy all odds when I resumed work after three months maternity leave. My mother comes to work with me and she stays with the baby in my car.  "I have to run down to the car park every two hours whenever my mum calls so I can breastfeed my baby. It is not easy at all but my mum keeps encouraging me, saying I'm making the healthiest choice for my...

  Tension is building up in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State following the gruesome murder of a 40-year-old daughter of Abba, Njikoka LGA, Mrs Nkiru Okoye (nee Okelue). An international award winning author, Chimamanda Adichie is also from Abba. Nkiru, wife of Mr Emenike Okoye, a mechanic from Ogbunike, was allegedly beaten to death on July 19th, 2022 by her brother-in-law, Mr George Okoye and family, who equally inflicted severe pains on her husband and left him paralysed, although currently recuperating at Isaac Chira Memorial Hospital and Maternity, Awkzu, Oyi LGA.   It was learnt that the suspect, Mr George Okoye has been arrested and currently in the police custody, but the whereabouts of his wife, Mrs Uzonna Okoye, twins daughters and son, Somtochukwu Okoye, was still unknown, a development which the family of Okelue where Mrs Nkiru hailed from, saw as an aberration, stressing that they could take the law into their hands if nothing was done so ...

  Pastor Livinus Okeke, the Spiritual Director of Ave-Maria Prayer Ministry, Awka, Anambra has warned women's against requesting for money as conditions for making love with their husbands. Okeke gave the advice during a church service. He said that the act of requesting for money as conditions for making love with their husbands  was not only devilish, but attracted curses to their homes and families. According to him, whether for pleasure or procreation, it is against the tenet of  marriage be side sex must be freely given and received. He said: “Some wives now demand #20,000 or thereabouts from their husbands before going to bed with them. The Bible states that the wife cannot deny her husband sex except by mutual consent. “Such act is devilish and such homes will lack progress and peace because you have attracted curses to your home. “As such it will be very difficult to raise responsible children in such home. So wives should please desist from such act,” he sai...

  Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra says that effective collaboration with the Federal Government would complement efforts at resolving the security challenges in the state. Soludo stated this on Friday when he received the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who was on a courtesy visit to Anambra. While welcoming the vice president, he harped on the need for effective coalition among the progressives in Nigeria to enhance the growth and development of the country, given the current state of the nation. "You are highly welcome to Anambra state and your contributions to nation building as the Chairman of the National Economic Council, is commendable," he said. Responding,  Osinbajo said that Soludo was a great asset to Nigeria, adding that Anambra will do great under his administration. " Anambra state is a major hub of industry in Nigeria, especially with regards to Small, Medium Enterprises (SMEs). " Anambra is one of the states that everyone is looking up to with high exp...

 A Presidential Aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Peter Umeadi, on Tuesday solicited the support of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo to actualise Igbo Presidency project. Umeadi, also a former Chief Judge of Anambra, made the call while addressing the Executive Committee of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Anambra Chapter and Chairmen of APGA in the 21 Local Government Areas, in Awka. He said that he is the best candidate to win the 2023 presidential election for the party, saying that he has the initiative and capacity to reposition Nigeria in four years if elected. According to him,  he is qualified to participate at the APGA Presidential Primaries slated for June 1. as he has been screened and cleared to run for the office of the President. "I'm here to inform you as critical stakeholders and solicit your support as I aspire to become the next president of Nigeria. "It is not possible for us to achieve, economic, educational, scientific, sp...

  Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra State, has lamented the high rate of evacuation of businesses and productive assets from Onitsha to other neighbouring states. Soludo expressed the displeasure at a strategic meeting with landlords in Onitsha. Landlords from Omagba Phases l and ll, GRA Onitsha Zone, Onitsha Housing Estate, American Quarters, Trans-Nkisi areas, among many others, participated in the meeting. The Governor explained that the meeting was in line with the mantra of "Be Your Brother's Keeper', saying that it has become necessary to dialogue on how best to reclaim Onitsha, starting from the contributions of the landlords. While describing Onitsha city as 'dead', he said that everyone had one critical role or the other to play to take the city to an enviable reputation. "Recalled that Onitsha was once known to be housing the largest market in West Africa, which is sadly no longer the case, as new businesses and investments are now tilting toward n...

 The Anambra State Government says plans are underway to construct an international drug market to reduce the influx of adulterated and low quality drugs into homes and health facilities in the state. Dr Afam Obidike, the state Commissioner for Health made the disclosure on Thursday, during an on-the-spot assessment of the location at Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state, along with officials of the state Physical Planning Board. Obidike said: "Anambra is one of the four states benefitting from the project alongside, Kano, Abia and Lagos, with works in the other three states almost at different completion stages. "Unfortunately, the project was unable to take off in Anambra due to bottlenecks and  encroachment by illegal developers. "Gov. Charles Soludo's administration has vested interest in the project and he wants it to be a world standard market, which is why he sent us on this visit to ascertain if the the project and its location meet interna...

1. All burial/funeral ceremonies of indigenous deceased persons *must* be registered with the town union of the deceased persons. Registration fee is NGN1,500 2. No person *must* erect any billboard, banner or posters of any kind of deceased persons in the State. 100k fine or 6 months jail term or both for violation. 3. Persons are allowed to erect only directional posts (such as the ones leading to the venue). Must not be erected before seven days to the burial date and must be removed not later than seven days after the burial date. 100k fine or 6 months jail term or both for violation. 4. Corpse *must* not be deposited in the mortuary or any other place beyond 2 months from the date of death. 100k fine or 6 months jail term or both for violation. 5. No blocking of road/street because of burial except with the approval of the appropriate local govt authority. 6. No public display of casket for purposes of fabrication and sale. 50k fine or 1 month jail term or both for v...

A family of four children and their teacher who recently returned from the United States of America and suspected for COVID-19 has been isolated at the Biosecurity Facility of the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, the Lagos State Government has said. Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who disclosed this today at a news conference to give updates on COVID19 in Lagos stated that the four children and their teacher were in close proximity with someone who had coronavirus infection. He explained further that the first test carried out on them was negative adding that a confirmation tests will still be repeated to determine the next point of action. Abayomi also announced that a man who recently returned from the UK and suspected for COVID19 is in Isolation at the Mainland Hospital noting that his samples have been collected and test being conducted to determine his status. The Commissioner revealed that the three suspected persons from France, England and Ch...

I am very grateful to God for allowing me to spend another year with you, my loving wife, Adenike Oni-Adisa. It would be ideal to give you everything you want and need, but the most precious thing I have to give to you is my unconditional and unfailing love. I have no words to thank you enough for how sympathetic, loving and sincere you have been to me. I've always bore in mind that getting married to you would be the best decision I ever made and will have no regrets whatsoever in the long run. I am the happiest man by your side, I can only and always wish you the best. My Camouflage uniform can neither hide nor conceal me from sending my loving birthday wishes to you, no enemy could keep me from wishing you the happiest of birthday on this special day. You’re never truly missed dear, I always have you in my heart on special days like this. You are at the forefront of my mind, giving me high morale to advance and scale through every obstacles in life, placing me among...

Owerri,  Feb. 28  A gender rights Activist,  Mrs Dorothy Njemanze on Friday, said social conditioning was still a major problem hindering women and girls  from aspiring and  asserting themselves in the society as well as harness their potential.  Njemanze said this at a two-day workshop tagged "Gender Reporting for Media Professionals, organised by TechHer-Nigeria in collaboration with Premium Times Newspapers and Ford Foundation. She described social conditioning as a process through which individuals, especially women inherit the grand beliefs and behaviour of her society and act accordingly.  According to her,  the social conditioning surrounding gender issues affects women in many areas of life.  "Women are first, human beings and should not be objectified or put in a 'box', and when they act out of the 'box',  the society sees them  as rebels.  "Social conditioning is one of the reason we hav...

Feb.  28, 2020 The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Friday confirmed the first case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak in Lagos, saying it was brought in by an Italian citizen. Abayomi, however, said the State Emergency Operations Centre in response to the case and implementing firm control measures has been activated. He said in Lagos that the case was brought in by an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on Feb. 25 from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit. The commissioner said that the case was confirmed on Feb. 27, and has been reported to the Federal Ministry of Health. Abayomi said that the patient fell ill on Feb.26, and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. “COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. “The patient is clinically s...

The Anambra House of Assembly has called on Gov. Willie Obiano to direct the state Ministry of Health to construct a quarantine facility to check the spread of viral diseases in an event of health emergency in the state. The House made the call in its resolution on Thursday, following a motion moved by Mr Lawrence Ezeudu (Dunukofia) under Matters of Urgent Public Importance. Ezeudu said it was important to have a quarantine facility in an outskirt area to house people afflicted with contagious and dreaded disease separate from other patients and people. He expressed concern over the spread of Coronavirus (Convid-19), Lassa fever and other communicable life-threatening epidemic in the country and the world. “Coronavirus, which emanated from Wuhan in China less than a month ago, has spread to over 26 countries and still counting. “We are aware that the spread of this disease is so massive that 97 people died in a single day in Wuhan, China which is the epicentre of the...

A magazine, “Safety Focus”, aims at educating road users on safety measures to reduce avoidable road accidents in Anambra, was on Tuesday launched by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). The launch of the magazine was part of the activities by Anambra Command of FRSC to mark the 32nd anniversary of the corps. The Anambra Sector Commander, Mr Andrew Kumapayi, said in Awka that about 90 per cent of passengers and freights were transported by roads due to absence of fully functioning railways and water transportation system. According to him, this has put high pressure on roads leading to high incidences of motor vehicle collisions and crashes. “The too many avoidable deaths and injuries due to road crashes in Nigeria today can no longer be accepted as part of our destiny. “These crashes are as a result of human error due to faulty decisions and actions of the drivers. “We believe that road traffic accidents are preventable; they are rarely an accident, hence th...

Awka – Dr Esther Somefun, a Gender and Reproductive Health Analyst, on Sunday, says that women who have undergone  Female Genital Mutilation  (FGM) find it difficult to enjoy  sex . Somefun, work with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said that it was difficult for circumcised women to enjoy sexual pleasure due to the complications of FGM. She described FGM also known as female circumcision, as the partial or total removal of female external genitalia due to non-medical reasons. “Due to the complications of FGM, women find it difficult to enjoy sex because the external female organ, the clitoris which ensure lubrication during sex has been cut off. “These women can also experience painful sex, infertility, pelvic inflammatory infections, menstrual pains and keloids. “FGM can also cause obstructed labour due to the narrowing of the external genitalia. Women with type two and three FGM are most at risk during child birth. “Lubricants can ...

Awka,  The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed into law, a bill for the establishment of Anambra State Erosion,  Watershed  and Climate Change  Agency to ensure environmental sustainability in the state. The Assembly passed the bill after Third Reading on the floor of the House on Friday. The lawmakers took turns to perfect some corrections in the sections of the bill before it was finally passed by the House. The Speaker, Mr Uche Okafor, conducted a voice vote on each of the sections of the bill before passing it into law  by the House. Okafor said: “Having considered the Third Reading for  a bill to establish the Anambra State Erosion,  Watershed  and Climate Change  Agency 2020, and to provide for other related matters,  the bill is hereby passed into law.’’ The speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Pius Udo to forward a clean copy of the bill to Gov. Willie Obiano for his assent. According to ...